Textile yarn and fabric



Patented age 17, 1937 STATE-S PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE YARN AND FABRIC No Drawing. Application May 17,.1932, Serial No. 611,922. Renewed March 20, 1937. Great Britain June 4, 1931 v I 18 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of textile fabrics and textile yarns suitable for incorporation therein and is more particularly concerned with the productionof fabrics exhibiting crepe effects, especially from highly twisted cellulose ester or ether yarns.

Textile materials exhibiting crepe effects have long been obtained by employing in their construction highly twisted yarns of natural silk in the gummed state. When such a fabric is subjected to securing in an aqueous bath the well known crepe effects appear, and the fabrics obtained by this process have long been highly valued on account of their pleasing appearance and handle. The production of crepe fabrics in an analogous manner by the use of highly twisted yarns of cellulose acetate filaments has however been vaccc-rnpaniedby very considerable diffi'culties. In many cases it is found that little or no crepe eifect is obtained unless a very considerable degree of twist is imparted to the crepe threads. Further, when this degree of twist is sufiicient to lead to the production of crepe effects comparable with those obtainable by means of natural silk,

5 it is found that the strength of the resulting fabrics is frequently so low as to render them commercially valueless.

In Br. Pat. No. 357,576 we have described an improved method of obtaining crepe fabrics with 30 the aid of highly twisted cellulose acetate yarns.

According to that specification the requisite high degree of twist is applied in two or'more stages instead of in a single stage, as commonly practised. In this manner considerably improved 35 results may be obtained, particularly as regards the strength of the finished fabrics in the direction of the highly twisted yarns.

We have now found that in utilizinghighlytwisted cellulose acetate yarns in the manufacture of 4 0 crepe fabrics a further great improvement, particularly as regards the strength of-the finished fabrics, may be-eifected bywetting the yarn with water or other aqueous liquid before at least part of the'crpe twist is applied thereto. For ex- 45 ample a cellulose acetate yarn of about 100 denier maybetwisted to 25 to 30 turns or more per inch, then wetted thoroughly with water and thereafter twisted to 60-70 turns per inch and woven into a fabric. Upon scouring the resulting fabric 50 excellent crepe efiects may be obtained, while the strength of the fabric is maintained at a high level. If the operation of wetting the yarn is omitted the resulting fabrics may exhibit a reduction in strength in the direction of the highly twisted yarns.

In the manufacture of;the crepe threads in accordance with our invention, the requisite high degree of twist is thus applied in at least two stages with intermediate wetting of the yarn with water or other aqueous liquid. If desired the twisting may be accomplished in three or more stages, the yarn being wetted between any or all of the stages.

, fine filaments is advantageous in that it admits of the use of a very high degree of twist. In this connection reference may be made to Br.-Pat. No. 357,577. 1

Thetotal twist may be applied either in equal or in unequal stages. Thus, where twisting is to be effected in two stages, half the twist may be applied in each, or a small or large proportion in the first stage and in the second stage the corresponding proportion required to give the desired total twist. Thus, for instance, where the total twist ds to be 65 turns per inch, the yarn may first be twisted to 10 turns per inch, then wetted with water or other aqueous liquid, and thereupon an additional .55 turns per inch applied to give the necessary total twist. Again, if desired 40 turns per inch may-first be applied and 25 turns per inch in thesecond stage. In an analogous manner when three or more stages are employed the twist may be divided between the various stages in any desired manner.

If desired any or all of the twistapplied may be irregular in character as described in U. S. Pat. No. 1,999,417.

In practice, it has been found particularly advantageous to apply in the first place a degree of twist of the order of that necessary to cause a. close packing of the filaments of the yarn and then to wet the latter and thereafter to impart the degree of twist necessary to give rise to crepe effects of the desired character. Particularly useful results are obtained, as previously indicated, with yarn of about 100 denier containing 26 filaments by twisting to at least 15 to turns per inch for example 20 to 30 turns per inch e. g. to turns per inch, wetting and thereafter twisting to 60 to 70 turns per inch. It will be appreciated that the exact degree of twist necessary to give the desired close packing of the filaments is dependent in any par- 5 the smaller the number of filaments. Again, for

yarns containing a given number of filaments the desirable first stage twist varies inversely as the diameter of the filaments or the square root of the filament denier. In general for yarns of between '70 and 170 denier and containing from 25 to 70 filaments the degree of twist applied before the wetting operation will be between about 10 and 30 turns per inch. V

The twisting of the yarns may be effected in any convenient manner. It has been found advantageous however, particularly when applying the second or subsequent stage of twist, to utilize twisting devices of the type in which the yarn is twisted as it is drawn off from a rotating package and to prevent the applied twist running back to the bobbin. This result may very conveniently .be attained by means of the device described'in U. S. Patent No. 1,784,581.

The crepe effects obtained appear largely to be dependent upon the degree of twist imparted after the wetting treatment and are to some extent independent of the degree of twist applied before the wetting treatment particularly if the said degree .of twist is not much below that required to effect close packing of the filaments. It has in fact been found that the character-or extent of the crpe effects finally obtained in the fabrics may be controlled to some extent by varying the 40 organic or inorganic bases with higher fatty acids, for example alkali metal; ammonium or ethanolamine soaps, sulphonated oils, sulphonic acids of alkylnaphthalenes for example butylv naphthalene sulphonic acid, and sulphonic acids .45 or sulphuric esters of higher aliphatic alcohols orof mineral oils, tar oils and the like. Mention may also be inade of wetting agents of a basic character, for example the higher poly-amines of the aliphatic series and basic derivatives of 50 the higher fatty acids, for instance'oleyl derivatives of aliphatic diamines or other higher fatty acid derivatives of this character.

If desired wetting agents or indeed hygroscopic or deliquescent substances generally may be. in- 55 corporated in the yarns or filaments thereof prior to twisting. For example cellulose acetate solutions containing hygroscopic substances, for instance magnesium chloride, potassium acetate or calcium chloride or nitrate, may be spun into fila- 60 ments and the latter formed into yarns and treated in accordance with the invention.

The application of water or other substance to the yarn may be effected in any convenient manner. Thus, the yarn wound on to bobbins or the 5 like may be immersed in the liquid substance.

Excess liquid may subsequently be removed by centrifuging or the like. One method which enables the yarn to be quickly and thoroughly wetted consists in winding the yarn on to a per- 70 foratedor porous tube or bobbin (which may serve as the take-up device employed in twisting the yarn or may be wound with twisted yarn in a back-winding operation) and placing the package on a perforated tubular support which is supplied 75 with water .or other liquid under pressure. The

- the whole of its moisture content.

"tubes radially about a central pipe which is in connection with the source of pressure or suction.

Water or other liquid may be applied to the yarns at ordinary temperatures or at higher temperatures, for example at temperatures between 30 and 80 C. or even up to or above the boiling point.

Again the liquid may be applied to the travelling yarn, for example by spraying or by passing the yarn through baths of the liquid or over wicks, rollers or other devices adapted to feed the liquid on to the yarn. The water or the like may also be applied simultaneously with a twisting operation. For example cellulose acetate yarn may be twisted to about 25 turns per inch on a machine of the type in which twist is applied as the yarn is drawn from its package, the drawn off and twisted yarn being passed through a body or spray of the desired liquid substance on its way to the re-winding device.

After the application of the water or other liquid the yarn may be allowed to stand for a time in order that it may be thoroughly wetted and/or softened by the liquid applied. Further twist may be applied directly to the yarn in the wetted state or after subjecting the yarn to a drying operation in order to remove a part or The proportion of moisture remaining prior to the further twisting operations may be adjusted to that most favourable to the production of the yarn capable of giving good crepe fabrics. The aforementioned drying of the yarn, where desired or requisite, may be effected in any convenient manner. For example, the yarn maybe passed over heated drums or through another suitable drying device after wetting but prior to re-winding.

Again, where the yarns are wound on perforated or porous tubes or bobbins, drying, complete or partial as desired, may be effected by blowing or sucking air or other gas, which may be heated, through the package; Such drying may be readily carried out on packages which have been wetted by pressure and/or suction as described above, by blowing or sucking air or other gas through the packages while they still remain on the perforated tubes on which they were mounted for wetting.

Cellulose acetate yarns to which a high degree of twist has been applied in the manner described, may be incorporated into fabrics and the latter subjected to a scouring operation or like aqueous treatment, whereby the crepe effects may be enhanced. It appears possible that the improved results obtainable in accordance with the new process are to'be attributed to the application of at least part of the high twist. to a yarn' of more or less firm character in which the filaments are bedded firmly together, tend to retain their relative positions, and are not subject to substantial relative movement during twisting. Such a yarn, in

which the filaments may be described as being ,set", when further twisted appears to twist aosaarz substantially as a whole, the applied twist causing the yarn-to assume a spiral form. Further it may be that the wetting treatment, serves to soften the material of the filaments to some extent and so remove strain therefrom and permit the production of a yarn of the foregoing character. We have indeed found that the water or other aqueous liquids may be replaced successfully by other liquids having a softening action,

particularly a very mild softening action on the material of the filaments. For example the wetting may be effected by means of alcohols, for example ethyl or methylfalcohol, halogenated hydrocarbons, for example ethylene dichloride or carbon tetrachloride, esters, for instance ethyl acetate, or mixtures of two or more of the foregoing liquids. The liquids should preferably not however be of such character or applied under such conditions as would cause solution or even any material softening of the substance of the temporary, softening of the material of the filaments or otherwise to remove strain therefrom, e. g. after the manner in which certain metals, for example copper, may be annealed by heating. Thus, for instance, the yarn, after the application of a portion of the twist, may be subjected to the action of heat: alone for example to the action of a heated gas'in order to set the same. Whatever the character of the treatment applied, hereinafter referred to as a conditioning treatment, it should be such as will facilitate the bedding together of the filaments of the partially twisted yarn, and the production of a firm yarn adapted to receive the remaining portion of the high degree of twist.

The crepe threads employed in accordance with the present invention may if desired be sized at any suitable stage of their manufacture, for example prior to' the application of any substantial degree of twist. 1n this connection particular mention may be nijade of sizing materials .se-'

lected in accordance with the principles laid down in Br. Pat. No. 348,589. Again, the crepe threads or the filaments contained therein may be sized with or provided with a coating of, a cellulose or a cellulose derivative-as described in U. S. Pat.

No. 1,993,992, or with a coating of a polymerized .vinyl compound or other polymerized or condensed organic compound, for example a synthetic resin, as described in Br. Pat. No. 352,451.

Such sizes or coatings may be applied intermittently to the yarns, as described in U. 8. Pat.

No. 1,966,440 and Br. Pats. Nos. 365,040 and If desired lubricants may be applied to the yarns which are to receive the high degree of twist, especially while the yarns have no twist or at any rate only a low degree of twist.- Such lubricant, for example olive oil or castor oil or oleic acid, assists the filaments to slide easily over each other so that they may more readily remain in the yarns throughout the twisting,

when it may be removed after incorporation of the yarns in fabrics, or removal of the lubricant may be effected before the final amount of twist is applied.

Fabrics containing highly twisted yarns pre- If desired the agent employed in the aforementioned conditioningtreatment of the yarn during the twisting operation may be one capable of swelling the material of the filaments in the presv er ice of water. As an example of such an agent ethyl alcohol may be mentioned. In such cases swelling of the material may thus be effected during the aqueous treatment, which is in general appliedi to the fabrics containing the highly twisted crepe threads.

As stated previously the invention is of particular value in connection with the production of crepe fabrics with the aid of highly twisted yarns consisting of cellulose acetate filaments. Crepe threads comprising filaments of other organic derivatives of cellulose may be employed in an analogous manner. Asexamples of such cellulose derivatives may be mentioned cellulose formate, propionate or butyrate or other cellulose esters of organic acids, or methyl, ethyl or benzyl cellulose or other cellulose ethers. If desired crepe threads consisting of or comprising filaments of other materials may be employed, for example filaments of silk, cotton, or of artificial silk of the regenerated cellulose type. The crepe threads may also be composed of filaments of two or more different kinds whether in respect of material or denier or both. Thus there may be used threads containing both filaments of cellulose esters or ethers and filaments of natural silk or regenerated cellulose artificial silk, or threads containing filaments of esters of different acid value, or threads containing cellulose ester or ether filaments of two or more different deniers. Further, the crepe yarns may consist, wholly or in part, of staple corporated in the fabrics in any suitable manner,

for example the weft alone may bewholly or partially composed of such threads or the warp may also contin them. In the former case .the finished fabrics exhibit chiefly shrinkage in the direction of the weft. It is found particularly convenient however, in general, to employ threads of relatively low twist in the warp and to employ in the weft both crepe threads having a lefthand twist and crepe threads having a righthand twist. Such threads may be disposed in the fabrics in any convenient manner, for example pairs of threads of left-hand twist may alternate with pairs of threads of right-hand twist. A further method of constructing the fabrics is to weave compositecrpe threads consisting of a yarn of high twist doubled with a yarn of low twist, or consisting of two yarns of highbut oppositedirection of twist, the yarns being prepared and the fabrics subsequentlythreated in accordance with the processes of the invention. In this manner crepe fabrics may be readily produced without the necessity for the employment of a loom capable of weaving two different types of yarn such as is necessary when alternate picks of yarn of left-hand-twist and yarn of righthanded twist are to be woven. In this connection reference is made to Br. Pats. Nos. 332,903 and 375,355.

, Where the fabrics comprise yarns of low twist, the latter may be either of the same material or of a different material from that of the highly 7f twisted crepe threads; For example, where the crepe threads are composed of cellulose acetate filaments, the said yarns of low twist may be composedof cotton or of a regenerated cellulose type 5 of artificialsilk:

.7 In the case of fabrics containing low twist yarns as well as the highly twisted crpe threads, such yarns, particularly when forming the warp of the material, will usually be sized. In this event it has been found beneficial to employ sizes which are easily removed or at least easily softened by the securing or like treatment subsequently applied to the fabrics after weaving. Indeed, if desired the said .treatments may be l5 modified, for example in respect of temperature or other conditions, or a special treatment may be applied, for the purpose of softening or re-' moving the size on the yarn of low twist. Preferably the size on the said low twist yarns should be more easily softened or removedthan any size which may have been applied to the highly twisted crepe threads in the fabrics. Again, when utilizing yarns of low twist in conjunction with thecrepe threads of high twist, the said .low twist yarns may be of such character or be so treated as to be less readily wetted than the, crepe threads. For instance they may be oiled with an animal, vegetable, or mineral oil prior to incorporation in the fabrics.

The invention is illustrated but not limited by the following example:-

Example through a, bath of cold or warm water on its .way

to the bobbin.- The twisted and moistened yarn is then, while still damp, twisted up to 70 turns 40 per inch on a'twisting machine of the kind described in U. S. Patent No. 1,784,581. Yarn of right-hand as well as yarn of left-hand twist is prepared in this manner. The treated and twisted yarns are then'woven into a cellulose acetate warp of yarns of low twist, two picks of right-hand twist alternating .with two picks of left-hand twist, the resulting fabric being then treated first in water at 30 C. for 15 to 30 minutes and thereafter in a three grams per litre soap solution for 1-1 hours, the temperature being raised from 30 to 80 C. The fabric is finally washed off, hydroextracted and dried without tension.

Fabrics may similarly be produced from cellulose acetate yarns of other deniers and containing different numbers of filaments, the degree of twist applied in the two stages being adjusted according to the particular yam.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz 1. In the production-of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads, the step of setting the filaments thereof in positionby temporarily softening them, without causing them to adhere, after the application of a part only of the crpe twist, said part'amounting to at least 10 turns per inch.

2. Process for the production of threads having a crpe twist from threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying tov the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, temporarily softening the fillii aments by treatment with a liquid substantially 4. Process for the production of threadshav ing a crepe twist from threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, temporarily softening the filaments by treatment with a liquidsubstantially free from adhesive and thereafter applying the remainder of the crepe twist in a single stage.

5. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from threads consisting of filaments of organic derivativesof cellulose which' comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with an aqueous liquid substantially free from adhesive and thereafter applying the remainder of the crpe twist.

6. Process for the production of threads having a crpe twist from threads consisting of filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the erpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns perinch, wetting them with water and thereafter applying the remainder of the crepe twist in a single stage.

I -7. In the production of threads having a crpe twistfrom textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate the step of setting the filaments thereof in position by temporarily softening them, without causing them to adhere, after the application of a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch.

8. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, temporarily softening the filaments by treatment with a liquid substantially free from adhesive and thereafter applying the remainder of the crpe twist.

9. Process for the production of threads having a erpe twist from threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, temporarily softening the filaments by ing a crepe twist from threads consisting of filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with an aqueous liquid substantially free from adhesive and thereafter applying theremainder of the crepe twist.

11. Process forthe production of threads having a crepe twist from threads consisting of fi1a-' per inch, wetting them with water and thereafter applying the remainder of the crepe twist.

12. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from cellulose acetate threads of from 70-170 denier and containing -70 filaments which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to between 10 and turns per inch, wetting the threads with water and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist in a single stage.

13. Process for the production of threads having a crpe twist from threads consisting of filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with water and thereafter drying at least partially and applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist in a single stage.

14. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying to the thread a part only of the; crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting the thread with a liquid substantially free from adhesive, forming the thread into a package, and then applying the remainder of the crepe twist by rotating said package and drawing the thread oil over the end of the rotating package while preventing twist from running back to the package.

15. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the thread a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting the thread with a liquid substantially free from adhesive, forming the thread into a package, and then applying the remainder of the crepe twist by rotating'said package and drawing the thread 01? over the end of the rotat ing package while preventing twist from running back to the package.

16. Process for the production of threads having a crpe twist from threads consisting of filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose, which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with hot water and thereafter applying the remainder of the crpe twist in a single stage.

17 Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from threads consisting of filaments of cellulose acetate, which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with hot water and thereafter applying the remainder of the crepe twist, in a single stage.

18. Process for the production of threads having a crpe twist from threads consisting of filaments of cellulose acetate, which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, wetting them with Water at about 100 C. and thereafter applying the remainder of the crepe twist in a single stage.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER DICKIE. ROBERT WIGHTON MONCRIEFF. 

